diff --git a/docs/ahriman.1 b/docs/ahriman.1
index fe53b379..1b6b985b 100644
--- a/docs/ahriman.1
+++ b/docs/ahriman.1
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 ahriman
 .SH SYNOPSIS
 .B ahriman
-[-h] [-a ARCHITECTURE] [-c CONFIGURATION] [--force] [-l LOCK] [--report | --no-report] [-q] [--unsafe] [-V] {aur-search,search,help,help-commands-unsafe,help-version,version,package-add,add,package-update,package-remove,remove,package-status,status,package-status-remove,package-status-update,status-update,patch-add,patch-list,patch-remove,patch-set-add,repo-backup,repo-check,check,repo-daemon,daemon,repo-rebuild,rebuild,repo-remove-unknown,remove-unknown,repo-report,report,repo-restore,repo-sign,sign,repo-status-update,repo-sync,sync,repo-tree,repo-triggers,repo-update,update,service-clean,clean,repo-clean,service-config,config,repo-config,service-config-validate,config-validate,repo-config-validate,service-key-import,key-import,service-setup,init,repo-init,repo-setup,setup,service-shell,shell,user-add,user-list,user-remove,web} ...
+[-h] [-a ARCHITECTURE] [-c CONFIGURATION] [--force] [-l LOCK] [--report | --no-report] [-q] [--unsafe] [-V] {aur-search,search,help,help-commands-unsafe,help-updates,help-version,version,package-add,add,package-update,package-remove,remove,package-status,status,package-status-remove,package-status-update,status-update,patch-add,patch-list,patch-remove,patch-set-add,repo-backup,repo-check,check,repo-daemon,daemon,repo-rebuild,rebuild,repo-remove-unknown,remove-unknown,repo-report,report,repo-restore,repo-sign,sign,repo-status-update,repo-sync,sync,repo-tree,repo-triggers,repo-update,update,service-clean,clean,repo-clean,service-config,config,repo-config,service-config-validate,config-validate,repo-config-validate,service-key-import,key-import,service-setup,init,repo-init,repo-setup,setup,service-shell,shell,user-add,user-list,user-remove,web} ...
 .SH DESCRIPTION
 ArcH linux ReposItory MANager
 
@@ -52,6 +52,9 @@ show help message
 \fBahriman\fR \fI\,help\-commands\-unsafe\/\fR
 list unsafe commands
 .TP
+\fBahriman\fR \fI\,help\-updates\/\fR
+check for service updates
+.TP
 \fBahriman\fR \fI\,help\-version\/\fR
 application version
 .TP
@@ -196,6 +199,16 @@ list unsafe commands as defined in default args
 instead of showing commands, just test command line for unsafe subcommand and return 0 in case if command is safe and 1
 otherwise
 
+.SH COMMAND \fI\,'ahriman help\-updates'\/\fR
+usage: ahriman help\-updates [\-h] [\-e]
+
+request AUR for current version and compare with current service version
+
+.SH OPTIONS \fI\,'ahriman help\-updates'\/\fR
+.TP
+\fB\-e\fR, \fB\-\-exit\-code\fR
+return non\-zero exit code if updates available
+
 .SH COMMAND \fI\,'ahriman help\-version'\/\fR
 usage: ahriman help\-version [\-h]
 
diff --git a/docs/ahriman.application.handlers.rst b/docs/ahriman.application.handlers.rst
index 952f912c..7f6b617f 100644
--- a/docs/ahriman.application.handlers.rst
+++ b/docs/ahriman.application.handlers.rst
@@ -116,6 +116,14 @@ ahriman.application.handlers.search module
    :no-undoc-members:
    :show-inheritance:
 
+ahriman.application.handlers.service\_updates module
+----------------------------------------------------
+
+.. automodule:: ahriman.application.handlers.service_updates
+   :members:
+   :no-undoc-members:
+   :show-inheritance:
+
 ahriman.application.handlers.setup module
 -----------------------------------------
 
diff --git a/docs/completions/bash/_ahriman b/docs/completions/bash/_ahriman
index 39ddad34..25d2f6df 100644
--- a/docs/completions/bash/_ahriman
+++ b/docs/completions/bash/_ahriman
@@ -1,12 +1,13 @@
 # AUTOMATICALLY GENERATED by `shtab`
 
-_shtab_ahriman_subparsers=('aur-search' 'search' 'help' 'help-commands-unsafe' 'help-version' 'version' 'package-add' 'add' 'package-update' 'package-remove' 'remove' 'package-status' 'status' 'package-status-remove' 'package-status-update' 'status-update' 'patch-add' 'patch-list' 'patch-remove' 'patch-set-add' 'repo-backup' 'repo-check' 'check' 'repo-daemon' 'daemon' 'repo-rebuild' 'rebuild' 'repo-remove-unknown' 'remove-unknown' 'repo-report' 'report' 'repo-restore' 'repo-sign' 'sign' 'repo-status-update' 'repo-sync' 'sync' 'repo-tree' 'repo-triggers' 'repo-update' 'update' 'service-clean' 'clean' 'repo-clean' 'service-config' 'config' 'repo-config' 'service-config-validate' 'config-validate' 'repo-config-validate' 'service-key-import' 'key-import' 'service-setup' 'init' 'repo-init' 'repo-setup' 'setup' 'service-shell' 'shell' 'user-add' 'user-list' 'user-remove' 'web')
+_shtab_ahriman_subparsers=('aur-search' 'search' 'help' 'help-commands-unsafe' 'help-updates' 'help-version' 'version' 'package-add' 'add' 'package-update' 'package-remove' 'remove' 'package-status' 'status' 'package-status-remove' 'package-status-update' 'status-update' 'patch-add' 'patch-list' 'patch-remove' 'patch-set-add' 'repo-backup' 'repo-check' 'check' 'repo-daemon' 'daemon' 'repo-rebuild' 'rebuild' 'repo-remove-unknown' 'remove-unknown' 'repo-report' 'report' 'repo-restore' 'repo-sign' 'sign' 'repo-status-update' 'repo-sync' 'sync' 'repo-tree' 'repo-triggers' 'repo-update' 'update' 'service-clean' 'clean' 'repo-clean' 'service-config' 'config' 'repo-config' 'service-config-validate' 'config-validate' 'repo-config-validate' 'service-key-import' 'key-import' 'service-setup' 'init' 'repo-init' 'repo-setup' 'setup' 'service-shell' 'shell' 'user-add' 'user-list' 'user-remove' 'web')
 
 _shtab_ahriman_option_strings=('-h' '--help' '-a' '--architecture' '-c' '--configuration' '--force' '-l' '--lock' '--report' '--no-report' '-q' '--quiet' '--unsafe' '-V' '--version')
 _shtab_ahriman_aur_search_option_strings=('-h' '--help' '-e' '--exit-code' '--info' '--no-info' '--sort-by')
 _shtab_ahriman_search_option_strings=('-h' '--help' '-e' '--exit-code' '--info' '--no-info' '--sort-by')
 _shtab_ahriman_help_option_strings=('-h' '--help')
 _shtab_ahriman_help_commands_unsafe_option_strings=('-h' '--help' '--command')
+_shtab_ahriman_help_updates_option_strings=('-h' '--help' '-e' '--exit-code')
 _shtab_ahriman_help_version_option_strings=('-h' '--help')
 _shtab_ahriman_version_option_strings=('-h' '--help')
 _shtab_ahriman_package_add_option_strings=('-h' '--help' '-e' '--exit-code' '-n' '--now' '-y' '--refresh' '-s' '--source' '--without-dependencies')
@@ -69,7 +70,7 @@ _shtab_ahriman_web_option_strings=('-h' '--help')
 
 
 
-_shtab_ahriman_pos_0_choices=('aur-search' 'search' 'help' 'help-commands-unsafe' 'help-version' 'version' 'package-add' 'add' 'package-update' 'package-remove' 'remove' 'package-status' 'status' 'package-status-remove' 'package-status-update' 'status-update' 'patch-add' 'patch-list' 'patch-remove' 'patch-set-add' 'repo-backup' 'repo-check' 'check' 'repo-daemon' 'daemon' 'repo-rebuild' 'rebuild' 'repo-remove-unknown' 'remove-unknown' 'repo-report' 'report' 'repo-restore' 'repo-sign' 'sign' 'repo-status-update' 'repo-sync' 'sync' 'repo-tree' 'repo-triggers' 'repo-update' 'update' 'service-clean' 'clean' 'repo-clean' 'service-config' 'config' 'repo-config' 'service-config-validate' 'config-validate' 'repo-config-validate' 'service-key-import' 'key-import' 'service-setup' 'init' 'repo-init' 'repo-setup' 'setup' 'service-shell' 'shell' 'user-add' 'user-list' 'user-remove' 'web')
+_shtab_ahriman_pos_0_choices=('aur-search' 'search' 'help' 'help-commands-unsafe' 'help-updates' 'help-version' 'version' 'package-add' 'add' 'package-update' 'package-remove' 'remove' 'package-status' 'status' 'package-status-remove' 'package-status-update' 'status-update' 'patch-add' 'patch-list' 'patch-remove' 'patch-set-add' 'repo-backup' 'repo-check' 'check' 'repo-daemon' 'daemon' 'repo-rebuild' 'rebuild' 'repo-remove-unknown' 'remove-unknown' 'repo-report' 'report' 'repo-restore' 'repo-sign' 'sign' 'repo-status-update' 'repo-sync' 'sync' 'repo-tree' 'repo-triggers' 'repo-update' 'update' 'service-clean' 'clean' 'repo-clean' 'service-config' 'config' 'repo-config' 'service-config-validate' 'config-validate' 'repo-config-validate' 'service-key-import' 'key-import' 'service-setup' 'init' 'repo-init' 'repo-setup' 'setup' 'service-shell' 'shell' 'user-add' 'user-list' 'user-remove' 'web')
 _shtab_ahriman_aur_search___sort_by_choices=('description' 'first_submitted' 'id' 'last_modified' 'maintainer' 'name' 'num_votes' 'out_of_date' 'package_base' 'package_base_id' 'popularity' 'repository' 'url' 'url_path' 'version')
 _shtab_ahriman_search___sort_by_choices=('description' 'first_submitted' 'id' 'last_modified' 'maintainer' 'name' 'num_votes' 'out_of_date' 'package_base' 'package_base_id' 'popularity' 'repository' 'url' 'url_path' 'version')
 _shtab_ahriman_package_add__s_choices=('auto' 'archive' 'aur' 'directory' 'local' 'remote' 'repository')
@@ -127,6 +128,10 @@ _shtab_ahriman_help__h_nargs=0
 _shtab_ahriman_help___help_nargs=0
 _shtab_ahriman_help_commands_unsafe__h_nargs=0
 _shtab_ahriman_help_commands_unsafe___help_nargs=0
+_shtab_ahriman_help_updates__h_nargs=0
+_shtab_ahriman_help_updates___help_nargs=0
+_shtab_ahriman_help_updates__e_nargs=0
+_shtab_ahriman_help_updates___exit_code_nargs=0
 _shtab_ahriman_help_version__h_nargs=0
 _shtab_ahriman_help_version___help_nargs=0
 _shtab_ahriman_version__h_nargs=0
diff --git a/docs/completions/zsh/_ahriman b/docs/completions/zsh/_ahriman
index 7d29a16e..d98e5d95 100644
--- a/docs/completions/zsh/_ahriman
+++ b/docs/completions/zsh/_ahriman
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ _shtab_ahriman_commands() {
     "daemon:start process which periodically will run update process"
     "help:show help message for application or command and exit"
     "help-commands-unsafe:list unsafe commands as defined in default args"
+    "help-updates:request AUR for current version and compare with current service version"
     "help-version:print application and its dependencies versions"
     "init:create initial service configuration, requires root"
     "key-import:import PGP key from public sources to the repository user"
@@ -148,6 +149,11 @@ _shtab_ahriman_help_commands_unsafe_options=(
   "--command[instead of showing commands, just test command line for unsafe subcommand and return 0 in case if command is safe and 1 otherwise]:command:"
 )
 
+_shtab_ahriman_help_updates_options=(
+  "(- : *)"{-h,--help}"[show this help message and exit]"
+  {-e,--exit-code}"[return non-zero exit code if updates available]"
+)
+
 _shtab_ahriman_help_version_options=(
   "(- : *)"{-h,--help}"[show this help message and exit]"
 )
@@ -555,6 +561,7 @@ _shtab_ahriman() {
         daemon) _arguments -C $_shtab_ahriman_daemon_options ;;
         help) _arguments -C $_shtab_ahriman_help_options ;;
         help-commands-unsafe) _arguments -C $_shtab_ahriman_help_commands_unsafe_options ;;
+        help-updates) _arguments -C $_shtab_ahriman_help_updates_options ;;
         help-version) _arguments -C $_shtab_ahriman_help_version_options ;;
         init) _arguments -C $_shtab_ahriman_init_options ;;
         key-import) _arguments -C $_shtab_ahriman_key_import_options ;;
diff --git a/src/ahriman/application/ahriman.py b/src/ahriman/application/ahriman.py
index 27365671..56b0bcc7 100644
--- a/src/ahriman/application/ahriman.py
+++ b/src/ahriman/application/ahriman.py
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ def _parser() -> argparse.ArgumentParser:
     _set_aur_search_parser(subparsers)
     _set_help_parser(subparsers)
     _set_help_commands_unsafe_parser(subparsers)
+    _set_help_updates_parser(subparsers)
     _set_help_version_parser(subparsers)
     _set_package_add_parser(subparsers)
     _set_package_remove_parser(subparsers)
@@ -161,8 +162,8 @@ def _set_help_parser(root: SubParserAction) -> argparse.ArgumentParser:
                              description="show help message for application or command and exit",
                              formatter_class=_formatter)
     parser.add_argument("command", help="show help message for specific command", nargs="?")
-    parser.set_defaults(handler=handlers.Help, architecture=[""], lock=None, report=False, quiet=True,
-                        unsafe=True, parser=_parser)
+    parser.set_defaults(handler=handlers.Help, architecture=[""], lock=None, report=False, quiet=True, unsafe=True,
+                        parser=_parser)
     return parser
 
 
@@ -185,6 +186,25 @@ def _set_help_commands_unsafe_parser(root: SubParserAction) -> argparse.Argument
     return parser
 
 
+def _set_help_updates_parser(root: SubParserAction) -> argparse.ArgumentParser:
+    """
+    add parser for service update check subcommand
+
+    Args:
+        root(SubParserAction): subparsers for the commands
+
+    Returns:
+        argparse.ArgumentParser: created argument parser
+    """
+    parser = root.add_parser("help-updates", help="check for service updates",
+                             description="request AUR for current version and compare with current service version",
+                             formatter_class=_formatter)
+    parser.add_argument("-e", "--exit-code", help="return non-zero exit code if updates available", action="store_true")
+    parser.set_defaults(handler=handlers.ServiceUpdates, architecture=[""], lock=None, report=False, quiet=True,
+                        unsafe=True)
+    return parser
+
+
 def _set_help_version_parser(root: SubParserAction) -> argparse.ArgumentParser:
     """
     add parser for version subcommand
@@ -197,8 +217,7 @@ def _set_help_version_parser(root: SubParserAction) -> argparse.ArgumentParser:
     """
     parser = root.add_parser("help-version", aliases=["version"], help="application version",
                              description="print application and its dependencies versions", formatter_class=_formatter)
-    parser.set_defaults(handler=handlers.Versions, architecture=[""], lock=None, report=False, quiet=True,
-                        unsafe=True)
+    parser.set_defaults(handler=handlers.Versions, architecture=[""], lock=None, report=False, quiet=True, unsafe=True)
     return parser
 
 
diff --git a/src/ahriman/application/handlers/__init__.py b/src/ahriman/application/handlers/__init__.py
index 2b19f62e..980c1d1c 100644
--- a/src/ahriman/application/handlers/__init__.py
+++ b/src/ahriman/application/handlers/__init__.py
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ from ahriman.application.handlers.remove import Remove
 from ahriman.application.handlers.remove_unknown import RemoveUnknown
 from ahriman.application.handlers.restore import Restore
 from ahriman.application.handlers.search import Search
+from ahriman.application.handlers.service_updates import ServiceUpdates
 from ahriman.application.handlers.setup import Setup
 from ahriman.application.handlers.shell import Shell
 from ahriman.application.handlers.sign import Sign
diff --git a/src/ahriman/application/handlers/service_updates.py b/src/ahriman/application/handlers/service_updates.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8aa1f0e3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ahriman/application/handlers/service_updates.py
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+#
+# Copyright (c) 2021-2023 ahriman team.
+#
+# This file is part of ahriman
+# (see https://github.com/arcan1s/ahriman).
+#
+# This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with this program. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+#
+import argparse
+
+from typing import Type
+
+from ahriman import version
+from ahriman.application.application import Application
+from ahriman.application.handlers import Handler
+from ahriman.core.configuration import Configuration
+from ahriman.core.formatters import UpdatePrinter
+from ahriman.models.package import Package
+
+
+class ServiceUpdates(Handler):
+    """
+    service updates handler
+    """
+
+    ALLOW_AUTO_ARCHITECTURE_RUN = False  # it should be called only as "no-architecture"
+
+    @classmethod
+    def run(cls: Type[Handler], args: argparse.Namespace, architecture: str, configuration: Configuration, *,
+            report: bool, unsafe: bool) -> None:
+        """
+        callback for command line
+
+        Args:
+            args(argparse.Namespace): command line args
+            architecture(str): repository architecture
+            configuration(Configuration): configuration instance
+            report(bool): force enable or disable reporting
+            unsafe(bool): if set no user check will be performed before path creation
+        """
+        application = Application(architecture, configuration, report=report, unsafe=unsafe)
+
+        remote = Package.from_aur("ahriman", application.repository.pacman)
+        release = remote.version.rsplit("-", 1)[-1]  # we don't store pkgrel locally, so we just append it
+        local_version = f"{version.__version__}-{release}"
+
+        # technically we would like to compare versions, but it is fine to raise an exception in case if locally
+        # installed package is newer than in AUR
+        same_version = remote.version == local_version
+        if same_version:
+            return
+
+        UpdatePrinter(remote, local_version).print(verbose=True, separator=" -> ")
+        ServiceUpdates.check_if_empty(args.exit_code, not same_version)
diff --git a/tests/ahriman/application/handlers/test_handler_service_updates.py b/tests/ahriman/application/handlers/test_handler_service_updates.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..80811466
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/ahriman/application/handlers/test_handler_service_updates.py
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+import argparse
+
+from pytest_mock import MockerFixture
+
+from ahriman import version
+from ahriman.application.handlers import ServiceUpdates
+from ahriman.core.configuration import Configuration
+from ahriman.core.repository import Repository
+from ahriman.models.package import Package
+
+
+def _default_args(args: argparse.Namespace) -> argparse.Namespace:
+    """
+    default arguments for these test cases
+
+    Args:
+        args(argparse.Namespace): command line arguments fixture
+
+    Returns:
+        argparse.Namespace: generated arguments for these test cases
+    """
+    args.exit_code = False
+    return args
+
+
+def test_run(args: argparse.Namespace, configuration: Configuration, repository: Repository,
+             package_ahriman: Package, mocker: MockerFixture) -> None:
+    """
+    must run command
+    """
+    package_ahriman.version = "0.0.0"
+    args = _default_args(args)
+    mocker.patch("ahriman.core.repository.Repository.load", return_value=repository)
+    package_mock = mocker.patch("ahriman.models.package.Package.from_aur", return_value=package_ahriman)
+    application_mock = mocker.patch("ahriman.core.formatters.Printer.print")
+    check_mock = mocker.patch("ahriman.application.handlers.Handler.check_if_empty")
+
+    ServiceUpdates.run(args, "x86_64", configuration, report=False, unsafe=False)
+    package_mock.assert_called_once_with(package_ahriman.base, repository.pacman)
+    application_mock.assert_called_once_with(verbose=True, separator=" -> ")
+    check_mock.assert_called_once_with(args.exit_code, True)
+
+
+def test_run_skip(args: argparse.Namespace, configuration: Configuration, repository: Repository,
+                  package_ahriman: Package, mocker: MockerFixture) -> None:
+    """
+    must do not perform any actions if package is up-to-date
+    """
+    package_ahriman.version = f"{version.__version__}-1"
+    args = _default_args(args)
+    mocker.patch("ahriman.core.repository.Repository.load", return_value=repository)
+    mocker.patch("ahriman.models.package.Package.from_aur", return_value=package_ahriman)
+    application_mock = mocker.patch("ahriman.core.formatters.Printer.print")
+    check_mock = mocker.patch("ahriman.application.handlers.Handler.check_if_empty")
+
+    ServiceUpdates.run(args, "x86_64", configuration, report=False, unsafe=False)
+    application_mock.assert_not_called()
+    check_mock.assert_not_called()
diff --git a/tests/ahriman/application/test_ahriman.py b/tests/ahriman/application/test_ahriman.py
index 653b6c62..b92e6dc2 100644
--- a/tests/ahriman/application/test_ahriman.py
+++ b/tests/ahriman/application/test_ahriman.py
@@ -107,6 +107,26 @@ def test_subparsers_help_commands_unsafe_architecture(parser: argparse.ArgumentP
     assert args.architecture == [""]
 
 
+def test_subparsers_help_updates(parser: argparse.ArgumentParser) -> None:
+    """
+    help-updates command must imply architecture list, lock, report, quiet and unsafe
+    """
+    args = parser.parse_args(["help-updates"])
+    assert args.architecture == [""]
+    assert args.lock is None
+    assert not args.report
+    assert args.quiet
+    assert args.unsafe
+
+
+def test_subparsers_help_updates_architecture(parser: argparse.ArgumentParser) -> None:
+    """
+    help-updates command must correctly parse architecture list
+    """
+    args = parser.parse_args(["-a", "x86_64", "help-updates"])
+    assert args.architecture == [""]
+
+
 def test_subparsers_help_version(parser: argparse.ArgumentParser) -> None:
     """
     help-version command must imply architecture, lock, report, quiet and unsafe